Various types of fluids are used in numerous and very different applications. In all of the varied types of and uses for fluids, there is often a need to identify a fluid and/or the source of the fluid and a need for the means of identifying the fluid to be convenient and reliable.
Functional fluids, as defined in this application, are fluids employed in a variety of automotive, off-highway vehicles, on-highway vehicles, equipment, machines, metal working and industrial applications. It is important to know the identity of such functional fluids to prevent the improper utilization or unauthorized counterfeiting of the functional fluid. A proper functional fluid helps to insure the good condition of the device and/or equipment containing the functional fluid and may also impact warranty agreements. It is, therefore, desirable to be able to determine the identity of such functional fluids.
Methods exist for the analysis and identification of fluids using various reagents in determining the presence and/or concentration of various constituents of the fluids. Specific reagents may be employed for determining the presence and concentration of components in functional fluids. These methods generally analyze for pH, coloring agents, and contaminants using reactive reagents on test strips. These methods also generally require controlled conditions for the reactive reagents to function properly. Further, these methods may be subjective and inaccurate.
Markers have been used to identify fluids. Proton accepting chemical substances have been proposed as markers, or taggants, especially for petroleum-derived fuels. The marker is dissolved in a liquid to be identified, and then subsequently detected by performing a chemical test on the marked liquid. Markers are sometimes employed by government agencies to ensure appropriate taxes have been paid on particular grades of fuel. Oil companies also mark their products to help assist in identifying diluted or altered products. These companies often go to great expense to make sure their branded products meet certain specifications as well as to provide their products with effective additive packages. Consumers rely upon product names and quality designations to assure that the product being purchased is the quality desired. Thus, it is important to be able to identify a marker in a petroleum product.
Traditionally, the presence of a marker substance is detected and optionally quantified by extracting the fluid with an aqueous or significantly aqueous solution of an acid substance, the precise nature of which can be varied depending on the marker substance. The acid reacts with the marker compound to produce a readily visible, more or less intensely colored cation dissolved in the aqueous acid phase. This method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,573. Additionally, a method has been disclosed in WO 03/078551 A2 where the acidic substance has been applied to a test strip. The test strip is dipped into the oil and a diazo-type marker reacts with the acidic substance in the test strip and changes color.
In many of these methods it may be necessary to make repeated, typically two or three, extractions of the fluid to recover a sufficient amount of marker in order for complete quantification. Additionally, the extracted, separated phase is often classifiable as a hazardous waste and presents problems of safe and lawful disposal, especially when examinations are made “in the field.” Furthermore, the functional fluid being tested may be contaminated by the process, making its return to its original source undesirable, presenting additional waste disposal problems.
Many owners/users of, operators of equipment that depend on, and/or retailers of these fluids currently depend on off-site labs to determine the specific identify of a fluid when such questions arise, such as in warranty resolutions. A tool that would allow identification of a fluid in the field would speed warranty resolution and similar issues.
It is an object of this invention to provide an easy and convenient delivery system to accurately analyze the identity of a fluid. It is a further object of the invention to provide a method to analyze functional fluids rapidly in the field. It is still the object of the present invention to provide a method to test the identity of a functional fluid in the field rapidly by untrained personnel and without precision measurement. It is still a further object of the invention to provide a diagnostic kit for identification of functional fluids rapidly in the field.